Daily Archives: March 4, 2015

Lawmakers could again consider legislation that would. The bills would shield agencies that refuse to place children with particular families for religious reasons.

All Democrats in the state House voted against two similar bills last year before they died out in the Senate. But one of those Democrats says he has changed his mind on the issue and is now sponsoring one of the bills.

“I looked at it, what my faith teaches me, and what I know, and what my constituents have told me about what they feel and it’s something that I felt that I needed to take a stand on,” said Rep. Harvey Santana, D-Detroit.

Santana says he has no problems with same gays or lesbians adopting a child.

“I think that all children need a loving home,” he said. “However, we’re at the intersection between people’s faith and what they’re being told to do that interferes with their ability to morally practice their faith. And then having the state say you have to do this, there’s a problem there.”

Opponents of the legislation say it would allow agencies to discriminate against people who are LGBT. They say it would also undermine what is best for children.

Santana recently stopped caucusing with House Democrats, but he says that has nothing to do with his decision to support the measure..

There are numerous faith based adoption agencies that have chosen to close their doors rather than to place children in LGBT homes, which they say that they are opposed to based on their religious beliefs.